1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to rope reels and more particularly to a multipurpose auto-reversible reel for a wide range of applications. The auto-reversible reel can be used to carry a personal item, such as key ring, cell phone, induction card, identification card, outdoor upholstery or exhibition article. This auto-reversible function facilitates the use of the attached personal object and prevents loss or falling of the attached personal object.
2. Description of the Related Art
A reversible reel is known comprising a wheel-shaped housing, a spring-loaded rotor rotatably mounted in the housing and a pull rope wound round the spring-loaded rotor. The pull rope has its one end fastened to the spring-loaded rotor, and its other end extending out of the housing for the connection of a personal item, such as key ring, cell phone, induction card, etc. Further, a reversible reel can be made in the form of a tape measure.
Taiwan utility model patent number 376152 discloses an auto-reversible reel, entitled “Improved structure of auto-reversible reel”, issued to the present inventor. According to this design, the auto-reversible reel comprises a housing formed of a top cover shell and a bottom cover shell, a bobbin (rotor) formed of a male member and a female member and rotatably mounted in the housing, a pull rope wound round the bobbin and having its one end affixed to the bobbin and its other end extended out of the housing, a coil spring mounted in the bobbin and adapted for reversing the bobbin after the bobbin has been rotated to wind up the pull rope, and a clip located on the back side of the bottom cover shell. The top cover shell has a bush mounted thereof. The bush has a diameter smaller than the top cover shell, and a width greater than the width of the top cover shell. After installation of the bush in the top cover shell, a part of the bush extends of the top cover shell for the mounting of the bottom cover shell. Further, a rivet is inserted through a center hole on the bottom cover shell, an axial hole on the bobbin and a center hole on the bush and riveted to the bush. Further, an ornamental pad is sandwiched between the top cover shell and the bush and exposed to the outside through an opening on the top cover shell. Further, the male and female members of the bobbin define a coil spring accommodation space and a pull rope accommodation space.
Further, Taiwan utility model patent number 392686 discloses an auto-reversible reel, entitled “All-direction reel and its rope end positioning structure”. According to this design, the all-direction reel comprises a housing, a bobbin rotatably mounted in the housing to wind up a pull rope, a power spring for reversing the bobbin, a clip fastened to one side of the housing thereof and a control member disposed outside the housing. The clip has a circular protrusion and a through hole cut through the circular protrusion. The housing has circular recess located on one side thereof for the positioning of the circular protrusion of the clip. Further, a screw bolt is inserted through the through hole of the clip and a hole on the housing and fastened to a bobbin inside the housing. The screw bolt has a shoulder fitted into the through hole of the clip. The control member is a hollow member, having a hole on the top side for the passing of the outer end of the pull rope. The outer end of the pull rope is inserted through the hole of the control member and a hole on a ball, and then tied up to form a knot that prohibits falling of the ball from the pull rope. The housing further has a flanged hole located on the periphery for the passing of the pull rope. When the pull rope is wound round the bobbin, the ball is received inside the control member and peripherally partially protruding over the hole of the control member and engaged into the flanged hole to secure the control member to the periphery of the housing. Thus, the housing can be rotated relative to the pull rope so that the control member can be operated to pull the pull rope out of the housing in any direction without causing damage and the control member can be pulled back and positioned on the periphery of the housing accurately and automatically after release of the external pulling force.
In the aforesaid two prior art designs, the connection structure that secures the outer end of the coil spring (power spring) to the bobbin is not stable. The outer end of the coil spring (power spring) may be disengaged from the bobbin accidentally, causing the auto-reversible reel unable to wind up the pull rope. Further, the connection between the pull rope and the bobbin is not well protected. The inner end of the pull rope may break easily when the user operates the control member to pull the pull rope out of the housing.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide an auto-reversible reel that eliminates the aforesaid problems.